US to Manufacture Iron Dome, Ensuring Endless Demand
Bloomberg breathlessly announces a $1.25 billion contract for a joint venture between RTX Corp. and Israel's Rafael to manufacture Iron Dome missiles—in Arkansas, no less. (Because outsourcing war to US soil makes it 'local business'.) This isn't just about 'defense'; it's about cementing a feedback loop: US taxpayer dollars fund Israeli defense systems, which, when 'depleted' (read: used in
repeated, devastating bombardments of Gaza, or 2006 Lebanon), create renewed demand, conveniently fulfilled by US defense contractors. As OpenSecrets.org shows, defense contractors like RTX give generously to congressional leaders who then approve these contracts. For example, individuals associated with RTX (formerly Raytheon) contributed over $2.1 million to federal candidates in the 2022
election cycle. We fund a system designed to perpetually need more funding. How many times does Israel need to call for missile replenishments before we admit the 'Iron Dome' is less a shield and more a bottomless pit for public money, always enriching the same defense firms? One might almost think the point isn't peace, but continuous contract renewal.